Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-10
WONDERFUL TRAINED ANIMALS
The Arab and His Goat-Elephants.
Parrots. and Baboons.

SEVERN !'uin nbV uhNthci WAC
;curneying in the Holy Land, where
mepdicantsand beRgnrs are so extreme
IL common, and often intrusive, when
he was stopped on the road 10y an Arab,
Who reurescIted that he had wonder
frl coat which he was anxious to ex-
bibit. Nothing loath at neing enter
tanned where such novelty was hardly
10 be expected, the traveller expressed
his willingness TO he amused, and forth
with the performance commenced.
The Arab dismounted from a misera-
bic donkey, spread n small carpet upon
the ground. and called up a demure-
lacking coat that had been following
patiently behind. From bag the man
took frst a number Of blocks, six inches
long. cylindrical in shape, and two
inches across tue top, and placed four
uucn the carpet at a small distance
anert. upon which the goat immedi-
aielv stepped, carefully lifting each hoof
mon block. Now the Arab placed
IN his mouth a small reed musical in
sfrument. and began to drone monoto-
nous air that was evidently appreciated
bv the goat. as it pricked up It's ears
and assumed a position OF deep atten-
tion. Without ceasing playing tine
Arab then lifted one OF the goat fore
fcot. and slipped under it another cy-
Under, and repeated the operation IN
der ell its ho0fs. and in this way the
goat was gradually lifted until finally
the pillars Of wood were four feet from
the ground, the patient animal pre-
serving its balance perfectly, and APP
Fearing as if standing on stills. That
ihe music, If such it could be called,
was an important factor in this per-
Torrance was very evident, ms the mo-
mont It ceased the goat began to waver
and tremblo hut upon the strains
Icing revived the animal seemed t. ac-
cure fresh confidence, only topping
over and falling to the ground whenthe
music entirely ceased.
Tie next trick, if SO we may term 1t,
was to build up the columns in an I'M
even manner. so that finally they were
removed from under the foreieet, the
animal standing upon its hind legs on
the pillars, three feet IN height. In
this Performance the Arab was merely
taking advantage of the marvellous
faculty that many hoofed animals have
q maintaining foothold upon places
where it would seem almost imposslble.
Animals have been trained Or edu-
Gated from the very earliest times, and
it is doubtful il any advance has been
made in this respect IN the present day.
The wonderful exploits OF the trained
lorscs in the circuses of to-day are but
rcIotitions Of the ADJUSTMENTS offered
10 audiences several hundred years ago.
I'm those days horses not only danced
upon their hind legs, but fought mock
lattlcs, striking at their enemies with
their forcfect, and showing what APP
reared to be- remarkable intelligence.
| Terhaps the most surprising feat ever
reformed 10y horse was i'll the olden
| time. 4 large three-sided braided
rore WIS stretched several feet from tla
| oluund, and upon this the horse walked,
Ircscrying It's balance perfectly. Ina
| cid pint a picture Of the act Is shown.
While another cut represents h0r.o
sinking the shield of Il soldier with its
loofs. Even the elephant, generally
considered the most uBgalnly Of all
animals. was trained in those days to
walk the tight-rope, not only near the
ground, Int, if We may believe the old
| writers, it traversed ropes swung above
the heads of the audience, and not
/ only preserved It's balance, but bore a
man upon its back. Such perform
ance is extremely remarkable when We
! remember the caution displayed by
these huge animals in crossing bridges
or any structure that is at all insecure
OF all trained animals / would give
the elephant the first place, as there Is
hardly any feat performed by otherand
far more agile animals that it cannot
accomplish. | was told 10y an elephant
trainer. who had In charge the educa-
ton Of a number Of prOboscidians,
tlat he had often seen them going
through their tricks in the night IN
tleir stalls-in fact, Appearing to be
Iracticing the exercises through which
they had been put during the
day. The first time that he OBJ
served this he was aroused in the night
Lv the snorting OF IA valuable horse,
which was fastened near young stu
dent elephant, and upon looking
through a knot-hOle lie saw his pro
missing pupil standing on its head. OF
ondeayoring to DO so-a trick that he
Lad been trying to teach 1t for some
time. This unusual positison struc.
terror TO the horse that was snoring
and quivering with fear. So it might
| he assumed that the elephant was stu
diving it, lessons. though the probable
explanation was that the force OF habit
was so strong that the elephant va.
merely following It's dictates.
Parrots appear extremely intelligent
flom the wise sayings that they occa
sionally rccite, but they probably do
not understand Il word that they say. 4
parrot that was owned by sea captain
IN the Fast India service was often The
cause of much mcrrimcnt. 1t usually
sat on the quarter rail, and would Otter
sing ont orders ia voice 50 resemblln.
that of the mate that the men could no
distinguish between the two. One day
when the ship was lying in q dca'
calm the watch was aroused 10y th'
cry, Ready about ! Station io
Hays /" The men rushed 10 thci
stations TO hear the bird scream
oh, the fools Oh, the fools . Th'
same ship was lying III m East Indian
poIt one day, taking IN passengers
Who had to bee hoisted up by n block
and-pulloy from a sIhnll boat that ha'
brought them from shore. All h'
been taken aboard in safety with tn
exception of a very nervous old lady
who was soon seated in the chair an
swinging in the air. When she va
halfway up, and the men were walk
ing away with the rope to lively tun
on the boatswain's whistle, the parro
sang out Lower away And lowe
away the men did, the old lady sinkin,
UP TO her waist in the water before tn
mistake was discovered. After this th
bird was put in close confinement.
In olden times parrots were Otter
trained by designing men fox purpose
of sale. Thus when Napoleon was th
conqueror OF Europe, q bird-fancier MT
him as he entered Paris and held up
bird that screamed Viuc FEmpe
rcur :" The great General motioneo
the man to draw near, evidently mucl
Iool ,b.p tha bird screampd lOud